Members of the National Association of Black Journalists know that health issues are ranked among the highest topics of interest to their viewers, readers and listeners. Members also know that they are susceptible to the same health challenges on which they report: diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, anxiety, insomnia, stress, substance abuse, kidney disease and the list goes on and on. Since journalists are disseminating expert advice from health professionals to their audiences, it makes sense for members to heed some of that advice to improve their own health profile through healthy lifestyle changes.

The primary goal of Healthy NABJ is to help members prevent the onset of these conditions, recognize their symptoms and get early treatment. The better educated our members, the better the quality of critical information they will be able to disseminate to broader audiences in a nation struggling with a plethora of health issues.

Deciphering Health by the Numbers[11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.]No matter your beat, covering health, health policy and health disparities issues involve data and statistics, often without easily understandable context to report on your city, county or state. Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis will introduce a new database, Ozioma Online, designed to help make navigating data and statistics from 50 databases including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health much easier. As a bonus, Ozioma Online also offers more than 500 graphics and photos to help illustrate your stories. Bring along your laptop and story ideas to get a hands-on demonstration in this interactive session that will help you quickly to get to the heart of any health issue plaguing your community. Moderator: Timothy J. Poor, Publications Editor, Health Communication Research Laboratory, Washington University Panelists:-Kristy Guttman-Stephens, Ozioma Online project manager, Washington University -Joy Oguntimein, research assistant, Washington University __________________________

Friday, August 5, 2011

Morning Workout[7:30 a.m.]Chris Conde, an award-wining Atlanta-based natural body builder and personal trainer who specializes in body transformation leads a work out to get your body right.

Lunch and Learn Session -- "HIV/AIDS: 30 Years Later" [11 a.m.-1 p.m. ]HIV/AIDS continues to be an epidemic in the Black community. In this session, journalists will hear from those on the frontlines with real life stories about people impacted by the disease. The panel is designed to answer your questions: "Where are we now in the fight to prevent the disease three decades later?" "Who is at risk and how can we get more people tested?" and "How do we address the health disparities in the treatment of HIV/AIDS?" The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates more than one million people in the U.S. are living with HIV and one in five people (21 percent) don't know they have it. The annual number of new HIV infections continues at too high a level with more than 55,000 new cases reported each year. You don't want to miss this important interactive session with the latest information on one of the world's most significant health problems. Moderator: Kelly Terrell, News Editor, TheBody.com Panelists: -Phil Wilson - Founder and Executive Director, Black AIDS Institute -Dazon Diallo - Founder and President, SisterLove, Inc. -Rev. Dr. Alyn Waller - Enon Baptist Church, Mt. Airy, Pa. -Dr. Donna Hubbard-McCree, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Is Your Job Killing You? [2-3:30 p.m. Friday, August 5, 2011]Today’s journalists face immense pressure. Besides worrying each day about making deadline and staying on top of the competition, we are confronted with unimaginable stress, fear and anxiety from dealing with difficult managers and sources. Besides that, we're managing three and four "jobs" when we were hired for one. To make it even worse, we are concerned about the constant threat of layoffs, buyouts and firings. To handle it all, we self-medicate with unhealthy foods, alcohol and sometimes secretly indulge in other substances. All this can lead to situational depression, other mental health issues, and declining physical health. Too often, we suffer in silence because we’re afraid to appear weak or vulnerable. If you’ve ever had to cross troubled waters in the newsroom, come to this interactive session to learn how to cope with some of the toughest times in the industry. Moderator: Kimberly Hayes Taylor, Independent Health Journalist, Detroit Panelists:-Dr. Rovenia M. Brock, (also known as Dr. Ro) America’s most renowned African-American nutritionist who is frequently featured on the "Dr. Oz Show.” -Dr. Ian Smith, TV’s popular medical and diet expert -Dr. Angela Neal-Barnett, Kent State psychologist and author of "Soothe Your Nerves: The Black Woman’s Guide to Understanding and Overcoming Anxiety, Panic, and Fear” -Dr. Rani Whitfield, the hip-hop doc (invited) __________________________

Saturday, August 6, 2011

NABJ 5K Walk/Run in downtown Philadelphia. [7:30 a.m.]

Understanding Health Reform [10:30 a.m. - Noon] The historic and controversial Affordable Health Care Act may be the most important civil rights legislation impacting African-Americans since the 1960’s. Although it has passed, policy makers and pundits still debate its future. What do you really know about health reform, and what it means to you, your loved ones and your community? If you're suddenly asked to cover a health reform-related story, are you prepared to cover the vast changes that will take place before the law is implemented in 2014? Don’t miss this comprehensive, lively discussion with those who worked to make the Act a reality. Moderator: Lynya Floyd, Health Editor, Essence Magazine Panelists: -Dr. Herbert Smitherman, who has advocated for healthcare for poor and uninsured in Detroit and around the nation. (invited) -Dr. Garth Graham, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health in the Office of Minority Health at the Department of Health and Human Services -Michael A. Rashid, President and CEO of the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies, Philadelphia, the nation’s largest provider of Medicare and Medicaid (invited) -Dr. Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General (invited) -Deborah A. Reid, senior attorney, National Health Law Program, Washington, D.C. (invited)